Puz has been a bit inconsistent recently, she's usually got quite a powerful movement but lately when we've been warming up she seems a bit stuffy. This has been on and off for a few months now.
It started when the saddle needed re-flocking, so got that done just before all the snow at Christmas, the saddler also made the panels a bit wider as this is supposed to help veterans (Puz is 18) be a bit more comfy. She was fine and dandy after that, then about 4/5 weeks ago she felt really restricted in her back, got the physio out and again Puz was fine. A few weeks ago the same stuffiness came back, got the physio out and just did groundwork until the saddler could come out a week later.
Saddler couldn't see anything wrong with the saddle so we resumed a bit of schooling.
I had my lesson last Weds (see I'm SUCH an idiot thread), and she wasn't right. My instructor thought the back of the saddle was moving round a bit so got on so I could see, we sat the saddle back a bit further and bob's your uncle she went beautifully (large part of that I am sure was due to RI getting after her a bit when she got on).
But when I schooled yesterday her first trot seemed to go back to being a bit rubbish, I re-adjusted the saddle position a few times but that didn't seem to work. However, I did notice that yesterday it was more isolated to stuffiness on one rein.
There are a few other things that I'm considering at the moment....
1 - This could be fitness related, she still isn't really 100% fit after a long time off over Xmas, this can cause her to be a bit reluctant in the school.
2 - She has a slightly "sticky" right hind leg, the movement isn't quite as fluid as on the left. Hence her stiffer rein is the one where the right hind is on the outside and has to stretch round on the bends. This does get better as she gets fitter
3 - Our school is very stony at the moment, I'm not sure what has happened but every time it gets harrowed these enourmous flints appear everywhere. It's almost like the membrane has gone and the harrow pulls the drainage stones up.
So....
At the moment I'm considering just leaving the school out of the equation altogether at the moment to eliminate the stones being a factor and too much pressure on her right hind if it is a bit week. I'm thinking of spending a month just increasing her fitness out hacking then slowly re-introduce schooling.
I am also wondering whether at 18, and having had a hard working life before I had her, whether she could be getting arthritic and maybe just can't really do schooling so much now (although she still carries herself amazingly when she isn't doing this stuffy thing)
What would you do if this was your horse?
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It started when the saddle needed re-flocking, so got that done just before all the snow at Christmas, the saddler also made the panels a bit wider as this is supposed to help veterans (Puz is 18) be a bit more comfy. She was fine and dandy after that, then about 4/5 weeks ago she felt really restricted in her back, got the physio out and again Puz was fine. A few weeks ago the same stuffiness came back, got the physio out and just did groundwork until the saddler could come out a week later.
Saddler couldn't see anything wrong with the saddle so we resumed a bit of schooling.
I had my lesson last Weds (see I'm SUCH an idiot thread), and she wasn't right. My instructor thought the back of the saddle was moving round a bit so got on so I could see, we sat the saddle back a bit further and bob's your uncle she went beautifully (large part of that I am sure was due to RI getting after her a bit when she got on).
But when I schooled yesterday her first trot seemed to go back to being a bit rubbish, I re-adjusted the saddle position a few times but that didn't seem to work. However, I did notice that yesterday it was more isolated to stuffiness on one rein.
There are a few other things that I'm considering at the moment....
1 - This could be fitness related, she still isn't really 100% fit after a long time off over Xmas, this can cause her to be a bit reluctant in the school.
2 - She has a slightly "sticky" right hind leg, the movement isn't quite as fluid as on the left. Hence her stiffer rein is the one where the right hind is on the outside and has to stretch round on the bends. This does get better as she gets fitter
3 - Our school is very stony at the moment, I'm not sure what has happened but every time it gets harrowed these enourmous flints appear everywhere. It's almost like the membrane has gone and the harrow pulls the drainage stones up.
So....
At the moment I'm considering just leaving the school out of the equation altogether at the moment to eliminate the stones being a factor and too much pressure on her right hind if it is a bit week. I'm thinking of spending a month just increasing her fitness out hacking then slowly re-introduce schooling.
I am also wondering whether at 18, and having had a hard working life before I had her, whether she could be getting arthritic and maybe just can't really do schooling so much now (although she still carries herself amazingly when she isn't doing this stuffy thing)
What would you do if this was your horse?
Cookies for getting this far!!!!